What Brown students are thankful for

When that good ole seasonal depression hits or when failing a midterm causes you to re-evaluate your concentration or career path, it can be hard to remember how amazing of a school Brown is. ‘Tis the season to remind ourselves how truly lucky we are to be here. I don’t know about you, but my family actually does that tradition of going around the table and saying what we’re thankful for. Before coming to Brown my usual response was ‘my cats’ or ‘Lady Gaga’, which is still valid. However, as a Brown student, here are the new things that I appreciate. 1. Open Curriculum. Sure, there are times when my last two brain cells are arguing over whether to take Chem 330 (which I need for my major) or Egyptian Magic (which I don’t need for my major but would enjoy much much more than Chem 330). It’s a struggle literally every student faces: balancing the ‘fun’ courses with practical studies. At the end of the day, I’m thankful for the independence. At least if my academic career crashes and burns, I will be the one responsible! 2.Hutchings-Votey Organ. When I’m lying on the floor of Sayles Hall, using a stranger’s foot as a pillow, and Mark Steinbach is going HAM on the organ, I swear I can feel the music in my bones, and reverberating in my skull. Or maybe that’s the sensation of me gradually becoming deaf. Either way, super thankful, rock on Mark. 3. Thayer.  Thayer is annoying. Thayer is quirky. In other words, Thayer is Brown. And I love her, that bitch. 4. Campus size. Not too small, not too big, she just right. Sidenote: When you’re slogging through the snow to a class across campus, instead of focusing on the ten minute distance just be glad it’s not, like, a fifteen minute distance. 5. Hour train ride to Boston, 3 hour to New York, 30 min from the beach! Okay so I haven’t taken advantage of this ideal positioning yet. But going to the New England Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo is on my bucket list. I will see a Red Panda if it’s the last thing that I ever do. 6. I haven’t gotten pregnant yet despite stepping on the Pembroke seal five times. Though now that I think of it, it probably helps that I’m in a gay relationship. 7. Good ass staff and good ass friends. It’s easy to build an emotionally supportive or academic network at Brown. I like to think most of the people are here because they truly believe in Brown’s purpose. That makes it super easy to connect. Like you can throw a stone (or snowball) and it’d hit someone who’s passionate about something AND willing to hear what YOU’RE passionate about. 8. Curry night at Andrews. Pasta night at Andrews. Midnight pizza snack at Andrews. Sunday brunch specials at Andrews. So, yeah. Andrews. 9. The diversity of clubs and courses. If you’re bored at Brown, you’re doing college wrong dude. Apart from being a Blog Baby, I’m in the Taekwondo club, work at Safewalk, and dabble in various other activities. The problem is not being able to find something that interests you; it’s not having enough time in the day to pursue everything that DOES. 10. The aesthetic of College Hill. The greens, whether they be grassy and sun-warmed, strewn with vivid red leaves, or glittering with freshly fallen snow, are always an idyllic Look. 11. I haven’t been killed by a Providence driver yet. I don’t know how I got on God’s nice list (God is kind of like Santa, right?) but I’m thankful.  12. The libraries. I can’t even decide which one is my favorite. Where I go depends on my mood or the amount of focus required for the assignment. The libraries are some of my favorite buildings on campus. (Yes, even the Sci-Li. She’s ugly and proud.) For me, getting that acceptance letter felt like winning the lottery - which I’m sure many of you can relate to. College is super fucking hard though. But that same feeling I got when I saw ‘congratulations’ comes rushing back whenever I walk into the John Hay, my favorite building on campus, or bite into a Blue Room pistachio muffin, or meet someone with the same obscure interest as me. I’m thankful I go to a school that appreciates quirkiness.Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s get this (corn)bread.Images via, via Hannah Parent '22.